I thought the most notable thing to happen this past year would be COVID, and while it was certainly memorable, the thing that changed the most was me. I found that during a pandemic, one of the most important things I could do was find what was important to me and what made me happy. Being home all the time made it easy to blur the lines between work and life. I would forget to take time for me because I was so focused on the things I needed to be doing and it caused me to spiral. I needed to figure out how to differentiate my life and make time for the things and people I enjoy. So I did. I found hobbies, made plans for the future and decided what I wanted.
Being in college, it's easy to forget about the simple things, like hobbies. There is always another club meeting to attend, another homework assignment to do and you can't forget about the laundry you left in the dryer. I spent so much time focusing on the things I needed to do, I didn't think about the things I wanted to do. This year I decided I was going to make time for hobbies. I made time for cooking, baking and the all important arts and crafts. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed spending time making art, edible or otherwise. I spent time making things for the people I care about, making things for my apartment and making things for me. It was relaxing and helped me balance the rest of my life. While there are obvious downsides to a global pandemic, I found a silver lining. It made me reevaluate my life and find the things that are important to me. This was an important discovery for me, particularly because it is time for me to face the future beyond the comfortable predictability of college life. As I enter the "real world" I will have to prioritize what's important to me and where to draw boundaries in my life.
These were not the only discoveries I made this year. I also decided that I wanted to add one more opportunity to my college experience before I graduate. I recently added an International Business Minor to my course schedule. Throughout my college experience I have had the opportunity to participate in 5 study abroad experiences, 3 in person and 2 virtually. My initial motivation in participating was for personal growth, but through international experiences that were directly related to my major, I realized I could incorporate my passion for travel and immersion into other cultures in my professional life as well. I plan to embark on one more international experience to Rome before I graduate and I will be exploring opportunities in international business in my future career.